Later that evening Kate found Magnus on the tower leaning against a wall, holding the infant close to her chest. Kate stumbled around for a bit while she watched the woman, trying to find a way to start a conversation. "I hear you decided on a name."
"Yes. Sara: after her mother." Her voice was quiet in response for she was deep in thought, but not to the point where she couldn't converse with the young woman standing in front of her. "I hear you had an interesting day."
Kate sighed heavily sitting across from her boss in Will's usual spot. "Yeah, took three hours to even catch sight of it before we got a chance to lay a trap or take a shot." Magnus' eyes caught her sitting carefully, not leaning forward too much.
"Injuries?"
"Nothing serious," Magnus just gave her a look. "I only think the ribs are bruised and the cut on my leg isn't very deep."
"Henry?" Magnus leaned forward pressing her fingers into Kate's side.
"Just some road rash on his um…backside." Kate said grinning, but winced suddenly when Magnus pushed particularly hard on her left side. "You found it Doc, you can stop now." Teeth clenched tightly as she pushed the pain to the back of her mind.
Magnus ignored Kate's plea and continued on pressing her fingers into the skin. "Doesn't feel fractured, we should still take an x-ray to be sure."
"Tomorrow," Kate pleaded again.
"Alright, tomorrow. Sure you don't need stitches?"
"The Big Guy did them up for me."
Magnus nodded her head and leaned against the wall again looking down at the infant. Her mood was definitely melancholy to say the least and when Kate didn't speak and only sat watching the city below Helen knew the woman wanted something else. Biding her time until Magnus was sure Kate would speak she asked, "Is there something bothering you, Kate?"
The Indian only looked at her boss exasperated, "I was going to ask you the same question."
"That's usually a line for the psychiatrist isn't it?" Magnus looked away again and began to bump her hand against the baby's bottom in a timeless rhythm.
She shrugged, "He's busy with Hank."
"Sent you up here to talk to me, did he?"
Kate nodded in response, "He's worried about something: won't tell me what though." The sun was almost down, the last of the rays were giving an eerie effect over them. There was another long pause before either woman spoke. "I can send him up here if you want, take over with Hank."
"No, you've had a long day, sit and relax."
There was stall in the conversation, but only briefly as Kate was beginning to lose patience, she did only have so much to go around. "Seriously Doc, what's wrong?"
Magnus eyed the woman for a long while before she spoke and turned her face away. "I'm sure they're holding dinner for us." It was a dismissal if Kate ever heard one and she gladly took the bait, this was most definitely a conversation for the shrink—not her.
Helen rarely let the infant out of her sight after that night on the rooftop. Will had tried to talk to her about it, but she had neatly avoided him by sending him out on missions. She didn't leave the Sanctuary walls for weeks on end.
Will came back with a concussion and a sprained wrist one evening. Patching him up as fast as she could, she started to leave the room and found the door locked. Punching in her code at the panel, it only blinked red in response. Turning her head to the side, she pushed her fingers against the rubber pieces again. She got the same result, "Damn it. What is this?"
Her protégé shrugged behind her, his hands on the edge of the mattress below him as he watched her frustration level rise faster than he had ever seen it before. "I asked Henry for a favor."
Magnus spun around at his voice, her eyes throwing daggers at him, "You did what?"
"We need to talk. You need to stop avoiding. This was the most practical and easiest way to get your undivided attention."
Crossing her arms over her chest she decided to ignore him. Flipping on the computer in the room she began to search through the command codes Henry had written in an attempt to override them. Her fingers flew over the keyboard as she looked at the programming.
"It's not going to work. He's changing the codes on a rotating something or another until I tell him it's ok to let us out." She ignored him. Sighing he got off the medical bed and stood behind her. She was sitting on a swivel chair so he spun it around to face him. "You're not moving. I'm not moving. We are not going anywhere until this is resolved or out in the open. So, where do you want to start?"
She continued to glare at him for a few moments before sighing and giving in. "The Head of House meeting has caused me to reconsider some of my actions and I need to take a step back from life in the Sanctuary and focus on the other aspects that I have neglected in the past. That is all this is about, Dr. Zimmerman, nothing more." Her arms were crossed over her chest, her breathing was shallow and her shoulders set with tension. He catalogued all these and then, lastly, with her professionalizing him he knew where some of the issues where coming from.
Instead of moving away from her he remained. He was obviously making her uncomfortable by being in her space so he moved forward, and pushed her further into discomfort. Her body seemed to shrink before him—maybe he had gone a little far. "Since when have you listened to political pressure?"
"Since it involves not only me." Her breath came out on a huff; she hadn't meant to say that, she gave him too much.
"Who does it involve, Magnus?" She didn't answer; he tilted the chair back so she was leaning up into him, his arms still blocking any exit she might get. "Who did they threaten?"
"They didn't threaten anyone."
"Then who is this about? It's obviously about you and someone else, so who is it about?" Again she was silent, her eyes focusing on the collar of his shirt, her fingers clenching into the material at her sides. She would not allow herself to answer him. She had decided that he would not know what had been discussed. His voice grew quiet as he spoke next, losing its edge of urgency, "Helen, who are you protecting?" Her eyes flicked up to his when he asked that question. There was his answer.
She was protecting him—this had to do with him. What had he done to piss off the entire Sanctuary network enough to warrant an emergency meeting from her? She saw the questions flash through his brain and decided to put him at ease. "It has nothing to do with you; it is entirely a reflection on me and my actions." Her hand reached out grasping his upper arm stroking a thumb over his covered flesh.
"So they are only concerned with your actions, not mine. What is this about, Magnus? I can't imagine anything lately has been questionable."
"It's nothing, I have resolved the issue, and it will not be brought up again." Brought up by whom: him, the network, or her?
"Ok, obviously this is something that is bothering you more than you are letting on. Just tell me what they said," his voice was pleading. "It can't be that bad, can it?"
She drew in a breath, "It's something you have never even considered and something I don't wish to bring to your attention." He was watching her features, calculating the way she held herself: her shoulders were tensed and her voice poignant, sharp and to the point. Her fingers tightened on his arm signaling the end of the conversation, but he wasn't going to let her off that easily. He held his ground.
Resigning herself, she began to speak again. "They think…it has been brought to my attention…I don't agree with…" She stumbled over her own thoughts and words, which was extremely rare for her to do. Conceding to pressure was another thing that she never did, but on some level she thought Will deserved to know. "This is not the first time that I have been accused of having inappropriate relations with an employee."
He squatted down, leaning on his heels as her eyes dropped to her hands that were now folded neatly in her lap. He moved his arm between the two of them, making a back and forth motion, "Between the two of us." He stated and she nodded. "I never—"
"I know you never considered the possibility, but apparently some of the Head's did and my actions toward you in Mumbai and this new situation have not helped matters."
"Magnus, it's not that I haven't considered the possibility, it's that…well you're Helen Magnus."
Her eyes found his and rolled lightly, "Flattering."
"What I mean is—God, you're over 150 years old—"
"Will, its fine, really. I get it."
"No, you don't. I've considered the possibility, believe me I have. I just thought that you hadn't. They really think that." She nodded. "That we—" again his hand moved between them back and forth. He was stunned into silence to say the least.
"Is it really such an outlandish thought?" Now she was becoming defensive.
"Well—yeah, it is."
"My apologies for bringing this conversation up, Dr. Zimmerman; I will be sure not to do so again." She made to stand and he let her, pushing up from the ground. "Don't go to sleep for a few hours, the concussion is not a bad one." Her back was turned to him as she input information onto a chart. He rested his hand on her shoulder and turned her to face him. Her eyes did not make contact with his so he lifted her chin to force her eyes to meet.
Leaning forward, his lips met hers in a tentative kiss. He pulled back quickly, checking her features. Her eyes were closed, her breathing calm and her lips parted. He moved forward again rubbing his lips over hers and flicking his tongue out to taste her mouth. She responded in kind, leaning forward slightly to increase the contact.
His fingers moved to her cheeks and he felt the tears streaking down her face. Her hands clasped the chart like a lifeline. He moved back from her, eyes taking in her red nose, crying eyes and tear stained face. He wiped the moisture away with his hands and waited for her to calm down. "She's Ashley. She's my daughter." Her words came out on a choked sob as he brought his arms around her in an embrace, her face in the crook of his neck as more tears broke away from her.
He squeezed her closer, brushed a hand through her hair and rubbed her back with nimble fingers. "Shh, it's ok, we'll work this out." He pressed a kiss to her temple.
Helen only shook her head in his neck. "I ran the genetic test." She dropped the chart to the floor and grabbed hold of his shirt, her fingers wrinkling the material in their tight grasp. "She's mine and John's daughter: she is Ashley, a perfect match." She refused to pull her head back to look at him and he felt her lips move against his skin. "I ran the test three times. God, Will, what am I going to do?"
"I don't know, but we'll think of something." His hands continued their soothing as her body was wracked with sobs again. He had only seen her cry this hard once before.